THOUSANDS of people in Brighton and Hove have already been moved to a Universal Credit system amid concerns over whether they will have less money, new figures show.

The Labour Party claimed this week that the new scheme, which has also been hit by delays ahead of a complete roll-out, is a “vehicle for cuts”, and said it was “causing immense hardship”.

Department for Work and Pension figures show that 7,534 benefit claimants in Brighton and Hove had been moved onto the new Universal Credit system by last month.

It is five times the number of people enrolled on it in September 2017.

Reports this week have suggested that the roll-out of the Government’s flagship welfare change is now not expected to be fully operational until the end of 2023.

It was originally due to be up and running by April 2017.

Under the scheme, six different types of benefits are being rolled into one monthly payment, including jobseekers allowance and working tax credit.

Of those who had been moved to the scheme in Brighton and Hove last month, 33 per cent were in employment.

Speaking in the House of Commons this week, shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Margaret Greenwood said that 3.2 million families with children could lose about £50 a week under Universal Credit.

She said: “The government’s flagship social security programme, has been beset with flaws.”